By Olayemi Esan
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says NAF Alpha Jet aircraft, which was reported missing in Borno State on 31 March 2021 after losing radar contact, was not shot down by Boko Haram terrorists has claimed by the video footage being circulated on Social Media as well as media reports.
Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, Spokesman for Nigerian Air Force in a statement on Friday revealed that one of such videos, in particular, began with sporadic shooting by several terrorists, including underaged children on motorcycles and vehicles. It later skipped abruptly to a scene depicting an aircraft exploding mid-air, supposedly as a result of enemy action.
He added that, another part of the video showed a terrorist, who, while standing by the wreckage, claimed that they had shot down the NAF aircraft.
Gabkwet also said in the statement that, Although the video is still being thoroughly analysed, it is evident that most parts of the video were deliberately doctored to give the false impression that the aircraft was shot down.
"For instance, the video clip failed to show the correlation between the sporadic shooting, which even from casual observation was obviously aimed at ground targets, and the sudden mid-air aircraft explosion" he added.
NAF opined that it is almost impossible for an aircraft to have exploded mid-air, in the manner depicted in the video, and still have a good part of its fuselage, including its tail, intact. Indeed, an explosive impact of that nature would have scattered the debris of the aircraft across several miles.
"It is obvious that the Boko Haram Sect, in its characteristic manner of employing false propaganda, is seeking to claim credit for what was obviously an air accident that could have been caused by several other reasons; particularly at a time when the capability of the group to inflict mayhem has been significantly degraded by the Armed Forces of Nigeria" the statement said,
NAF advised Nigerians to ignore the contents of the videos making the rounds until all investigations as to how the aircraft crashed are completed.
The NAF, on its part, remains resolute and will continue to work assiduously, in synergy with sister Services and other security agencies, to rid the North East of all terrorist elements.
It would be recalled that some media earlier reported today that the Abubakar Shekau-led faction of the Boko Haram terrorist group, Jama’atu Ahlussunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad, released a video footage of how it shot down a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Alpha Jet Aircraft that was declared missing since Wednesday after losing contact with radar in Borno.
The aircraft was on a mission to provide support for ground troops on fighting Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East region.
Boko Haram in the video released on Friday, claimed that it shot down the NAF jet. In the video, the group also showed fighters carrying RPG and artillery equipment as well as a corpse of one of the two pilots and the debris of the aircraft.
